Cemex team gets to work at Jubilee Rec and Gladstone Green

The team from Cemex's Rugby Cement Plant joined forces with the council's parks and open spaces team to carry out the work, which included refreshing the raised community beds at both sites, planting pollinator-friendly plants and sensory herbs, and creating new habitats for wildlife.

The council works in partnership with New Bilton Community Association at both Jubilee Rec and Gladstone Green to maintain the raised beds and community orchard. 

And Cemex stepped in to help after hearing the association was struggling to find fresh volunteers to help keep the beds in blooming health.

After supplying more than £1,000 worth of materials, the Cemex team spent two days working at the recreation ground and green - weeding, planting and installing a number of bird, bat, hedgehog and solitary bee boxes.

Cemex carried out the work as part of its community engagement programme.

Jamie Jordan, environment manager at Cemex's Rugby Cement Plant, said: "It was a privilege for members of our team to support the Jubilee Recreation Ground and Gladstone Green project alongside Rugby Borough Council.

"By working together and planting a wide variety of herbs and pollinator-friendly plants, we're helping to create a welcoming, vibrant space that benefits the whole community.

"We're especially proud to contribute to biodiversity and wellbeing in the area, and hope these improvements inspire more people - of all ages - to enjoy and care for their local green spaces."

Gladstone Green has won the prestigious Green Flag Community Award nine years in a row, while Jubilee Recreation Ground received its fourth community award on the trot earlier this year.

Cllr Maggie O'Rourke, Rugby Borough Council portfolio holder for partnerships and wellbeing, said: "Our partnership with New Bilton Community Association has made a real difference at both Jubilee Recreation Ground and Gladstone Green, creating Green Flag Award-winning open spaces which the community has a real investment in.

"The work carried out by the team from Cemex has restored the raised beds which support the association's community growing project and delivered a boost to biodiversity by installing a range of nesting and roosting boxes for wildlife.

"We're grateful for the team's hard work and commitment to the project, which included returning for a second day's work to put the finishing touches to Jubilee Rec."

Cllr Neil Sandison, Rugby Borough Council's Liberal Democrat spokesperson for partnerships and wellbeing, said: "It's great to see a local company not only financially contributing to a community project, but giving staff the opportunity to volunteer, roll their sleeves up and work to deliver the project.

"I would encourage more companies to the do the same."